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Go … Make Disciples

Oct 7, 2024 | 2024 - Winter – Free, Book Reviews

Go … Make Disciples

Author John Marsh
Publisher Sacristy £14.99
Format pbk (new edition)
ISBN 9781789593433

The great commission of the Church to go out and make disciples is often compromised by internal church fights or just a lack of commitment. As Marsh shows, discipleship is at the heart of the church’s call. It was originally published in an era that saw some great writings on the issue such as David Watson’s Discipleship (to my mind, the greatest book on the topic). For Marsh, Christians need to engage in the mission to show the Father’s love as their motivation, to talk about salvation, and the healing purposes of God. He stresses this cannot be accomplished without the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, giving us servant hearts. He approaches this via biblical stories and teachings. Although there are some anecdotes to illustrate this, I would have liked more to see how discipleship is lived out. Nonetheless, this is a stimulating book which could be rewardingly used to inform a sermon series on this topic.

Reviewed by CAVAN WOOD

Mission and evangelism

 

The Book of Days

Oct 7, 2024 | 2024 - Winter – Free, Book Reviews

The Book of Days

Author Francesca Kay
Publisher Swift Press £16.99
Format hbk
ISBN 9781800753495

This beautifully written novel serves as a history of the Tudor Reformation spanning the critical years of 1546 and 1547, the death of Henry VIII and the new regime of Edward VI, which introduced stern Protestant legislation to eliminate popish idolatry. The setting is a west country village where the dying squire, symbolising perhaps the demise of Catholic England, has commissioned a chantry chapel and a marble family tomb. The enterprise is doomed, for the villagers, stirred by an itinerant preacher, are beginning to forsake the old ways. The aged priest, Sir Joselin, and the new chantry priest, William, faithful traditional Catholics, yet also pastoral servants exemplifying the love of God, become victims as the Bishop’s commissioners enter the village, intent on destruction of idols, glass and relics. Francesca Kay’s novel provides a superb, erudite portrait of Tudor religious life, especially from the Catholic perspective. It is an absorbing and truly helpful historical picture – an entertaining alternative to the academic descriptions we find in the textbooks of Eamon Duffy (e.g. The Stripping of the Altars). Highly recommended.

Reviewed by KATE BURTON

Novel

 

Image Bearers

Oct 7, 2024 | 2024 - Winter – Free, Book Reviews

Image Bearers

Author Rachel Atkinson & Michael Lloyd
Publisher Hodder & Stoughton £18.99
Format pbk, 2023
ISBN 9781529318661

Subtitled ‘Restoring our identity and living out our calling’, the book was inspired by the life of the late Ruth Miller, a Christian counsellor skilled in restoring and developing the relationship between her clients and God. This may seem harsh, but to me the first part of the book, written by Michael Lloyd, seemed to be trying to make people feel guilty. It was not a dialogue, but rather a lecture on how sinful and broken we all are. Although challenging, it was too prescriptive for the questioners among us, although it did make me think. The second and subsequent parts, written by Rachel Atkinson, came as a breath of fresh air. There are outstandingly helpful chapters on recovering from childhood with a mother and/or a father who had not been kind, loving parents, people who were probably very mixed up themselves, and may eventually be forgiven. The chapter on dying well, including contributions from Ruth Miller, deals with fear and trust in God during terminal illness. This would be very helpful to any Christian or carer facing this eventuality.

Reviewed by VERONICA BRIGHT

Pastoral

 

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